Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 28. (Budapest, 2012)
Lilla ERDEI T.: Metallic Thread Lace Ornaments on the Textiles of the Esterházy Treasury
10. Bluish-green dolman of the same pattern." 2 3 The special patterns of clothes worn in princely courts were designed by acknowledged court painters such as Ádám Mányoki or László Mediczky, 2 4 which cannot be precluded in the case of the dolman in question, either. The other two velvet dolmans in the treasury dated to around the 1680s are adorned with similar broad lace bought by the meter. Gold and silver threads alternate, alluding to the phrase "mixed weave" frequently found in inventories, (fig. 8) The lace on the red dolman 2 5 has a simpler design. The floral motifs between thick gimps are connected by tiny brides, (fig. 9) The lace is identical with that of a Torah curtain in the Jewish Museum in Prague, dated to 1699. 2 6 Christening blankets of the same technique are known in the Victoria and Albert Museum from the first and second halves of the century. 2 7 The lace of the other, once dark green, now bluish green coat 2 8 is technically more complicated. The design is made more ethereal by more diverse motifs and tiny looped mesh lines, (fig. 10) The lace patterns are similar to the pattern of the fabric of a French brocatelle robe 29 dated between 1670 and '80 and kept in the Bernheimer collection in Munich. In the vertically undulating pattern large flower heads are swaying amidst small leaves and tendrils. The raport of the lace pattern is 45 x 15 cm, that of the fabric is 64.5 x 26 cm. The fabric pattern has a thin border design; the lace pattern is framed by a small braided edging. The tight attachment of fabric strips and lace strips is governed by the same principle. It is intriguing that although the lace pattern echoes the pattern of the cloth, by placing the lace on the fabric the impression of embroidery was attempted. This piece of clothing compares in technique and usage with a bell-shaped chasuble in Lyon's Musée des Tissus. 3 0 On the basis of the Lyon vestment, Lilla Tompos identified the lace of the dolmans as point d'Espagne. This lace type was very popular in the 17-18th centuries as confirmed by several written sources. Researchers broadly agree that mainly gold and silver laces are called to by this name, since they had become extremely popular secular ornamental elements from Spanish ecclesiastical art. Some of them think these laces are Spanish, others say they are French. Unfortunately, no description of the technique and no unambiguously identifiable specimens survive, therefore the name point d'Espagne is used as the collective designation for all 17-18th century metallic thread laces. The only embroidered dolman 3 1 in the collection also from the 1680s looks similar to the lace-decorated dolmans. It is embroidered in gold thread and pearls. Cora62
